100K

[soberups]

We bought our Dodge Caravan brand spanking new in 2003 and a little over 9 years later (yesterday) I offically rolled the odometer. It is only the 3rd time in my life that I have ever rolled an odometer, once was in a package car and once was in an old beater that I bought used for $500 way back when. Until now I have never put an entire 100k on a vehicle that I own, in the past we have traded them in before that happens, but I plan on driving this thing until the wheels fall off. I take good care of it, so who knows maybe I can get another 100K out of it. It still has the original spark plugs in it, the only maintainence I have done is oil changes, tires and brakes. As long as the AC blows cold and the stereo rocks, it will be good enough for me!

 

[ajblakejr]

We bought our Dodge Caravan brand spanking new in 2003 and a little over 9 years later (yesterday) I offically rolled the odometer. It is only the 3rd time in my life that I have ever rolled an odometer, once was in a package car and once was in an old beater that I bought used for $500 way back when. Until now I have never put an entire 100k on a vehicle that I own, in the past we have traded them in before that happens, but I plan on driving this thing until the wheels fall off. I take good care of it, so who knows maybe I can get another 100K out of it. It still has the original spark plugs in it, the only maintainence I have done is oil changes, tires and brakes. As long as the AC blows cold and the stereo rocks, it will be good enough for me!

sober

It is obvious to me that you will always be Forever Young!!!

 

[cachsux]

Living a minimum of an hour away from work hitting 100k on a car has never been a problem. My record is 250k+ on a 90 Geo Metro. Great little car it ran like a top until I gave it away to someone who put another 40k on it before it was traded in. My current car just hit 125k. Like sober said, stay on top of maintenance and they'll usually live a long time.

 

[moreluck]

1999 Blazer and still waiting for it to turn to 13,000 !!

 

[Catatonic]

I never had a vehicle that did not have over 100k on it unless it was totaled and also a Chrysler Laser (Only slightly worse than a Yugo).
I have 3 vehicles now and they all have over 100k.

Buying new vehicles every 3 or less years is the number one reason people do not accumulate wealth.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Buying new vehicles every 3 or less years is the number one reason people do not accumulate wealth.

I can personally attest to this---I had to have a new car every 3 years or so. This started when I was in the service and for the first 20 years w/UPS. I now have a 2010 Nissan Altima w/14K miles on it that I am leasing but am saving up to pay off in cash in August 2013.

Take care of them and they will last a long time.

 

[beentheredonethat]

I never had a vehicle that did not have over 100k on it unless it was totaled and also a Chrysler Laser (Only slightly worse than a Yugo).
I have 3 vehicles now and they all have over 100k.

Buying new vehicles every 3 or less years is the number one reason people do not accumulate wealth.

I have never personally owned a new vehicle. ALthough I have bought for my wife new vehicles. Mainly because I want a very reliable vehicle for her, with her driving the kids around). My last two cars went 250K miles. The first time I got near 250K, the car started needing repairs that were costly (it's a swedish car). For my last car it got near 250K and I had a mechanic look at it. I knew I was in for some repairs. He told me a lot more where in store. So I bought another used car and kept this until inspection ran out on it. I made it well over 250K on that car. Now I'm at 109K on this car and hoping for 150K more.

 

[Catatonic]

I have never personally owned a new vehicle. ALthough I have bought for my wife new vehicles. Mainly because I want a very reliable vehicle for her, with her driving the kids around). My last two cars went 250K miles. The first time I got near 250K, the car started needing repairs that were costly (it's a swedish car). For my last car it got near 250K and I had a mechanic look at it. I knew I was in for some repairs. He told me a lot more where in store. So I bought another used car and kept this until inspection ran out on it. I made it well over 250K on that car. Now I'm at 109K on this car and hoping for 150K more.

That was my situation too.
Wifey got the new car and I drove her old car until she got a new one and then the oldest car got donated to family.
Her current car is a 2005 Lexus LS 430 and it will be the first one of her cars I actually look forward to taking over.
I did buy a truck for hauling around the tractor and motorcycles. It's 13 years old and I plan to keep it until I die or can't drive.

 

[soberups]

We like having one relatively new car that my wife drives and that we use for trips. I dont mind one reasonable car payment, but I refuse to have two. For years I commuted to work in $500-$1000 beaters, my standards are a bit higher today but not by much. I dont want an eyesore parked in my driveway, I dont want something that has been wrecked or needs duct tape to keep body parts attached, and at a minimum I want functioning AC for summer heat and a reasonably decent stereo. Beyond that, I could care less as long as it gets me to work and back.

 

[browndevil]

We bought our Dodge Caravan brand spanking new in 2003 and a little over 9 years later (yesterday) I offically rolled the odometer. It is only the 3rd time in my life that I have ever rolled an odometer, once was in a package car and once was in an old beater that I bought used for $500 way back when. Until now I have never put an entire 100k on a vehicle that I own, in the past we have traded them in before that happens, but I plan on driving this thing until the wheels fall off. I take good care of it, so who knows maybe I can get another 100K out of it. It still has the original spark plugs in it, the only maintainence I have done is oil changes, tires and brakes. As long as the AC blows cold and the stereo rocks, it will be good enough for me!

Looks like you celebrated by filling it up with gas!

 

[brownmonster]

I bought 3 new cars in my life. 1983, 1986 and 1990. Probably never again.

 

[scratch]

I have 170,000 on my 2002 Chevy pickup, I drive them till they blow. Reliable vehicle, only thing that gone wrong with it was the $48 water pump I replaced a few months ago. Every 5000 miles, I jack my vehicles up, change the oil and filter, rotate tires and check brake pads, and lube the front end. I like not having a car note, this is the only brand new vehicle I bought for myself. My wife has had six new vehicles over the years, I doubt we will buy anymore. We had two Dodge Caravans when the kids were small, they were great cars for small families. New cars just aren't worth the price to me anymore, we will probably buy slightly used vehicle from now own.

 

[Catatonic]

I have 170,000 on my 2002 Chevy pickup, I drive them till they blow. Reliable vehicle, only thing that gone wrong with it was the $48 water pump I replaced a few months ago. Every 5000 miles, I jack my vehicles up, change the oil and filter, rotate tires and check brake pads, and lube the front end. I like not having a car note, this is the only brand new vehicle I bought for myself. My wife has had six new vehicles over the years, I doubt we will buy anymore. We had two Dodge Caravans when the kids were small, they were great cars for small families. New cars just aren't worth the price to me anymore, we will probably buy slightly used vehicle from now own.

You're a smart man scratch!

 

[brett636]

I share everyone's sentiment here regarding new cars. My current daily driver is a 96 thunderbird that I purchased from my grandmother in Dec. of 2009 that had 42k miles on it. It has 58k today. I also have a truck that I bought in 2007 with 65k miles on it, and today it has 94k and still runs strong. I've always driven older, run down cars. Mostly because until I went fulltime I couldn't afford much more than that anyways, or I had other, more important financial goals to reach for like buying a house. I admit every once in a while I think about buying a new car(Everytime gas prices skyrocket I think about how nice it would be to have a new jetta TDI in the driveway), and would very much like to do so but I just can't overcome the financial hurdle of making car payments and owning such a quickly depreciating asset.

 

[yeldarb]

We don't buy new either, and for family trips, we get a rental car. You can get a rental for as little as 10 bucks a day with unlimited miles. It's nice to not care when the "check engine" light comes on.

 

[Brownslave688]

I have 3 vehicles all over 100k. This isn't 1950 most vehicles have no problem getting to 200k nowadays with just regular maintenance

 

[over9five]

I have 3 vehicles all over 100k. This isn't 1950 most vehicles have no problem getting to 200k nowadays with just regular maintenance

Agreed. Your biggest vehicle killer these days isn't mileage, it's road salt.

 

[Catatonic]

Agreed. Your biggest vehicle killer these days isn't mileage, it's road salt.

What is road salt?
You Yankees build roads out of salt?

 

[cachsux]

What is road salt?
You Yankees build roads out of salt?

It's what we sprinkle on the roads so that we can keep getting the job done while you suthin' folk are huddled in your homes afraid to venture out at the slightest hint of freezing weather.

 

[soberups]

It's what we sprinkle on the roads so that we can keep getting the job done while you suthin' folk are huddled in your homes afraid to venture out at the slightest hint of freezing weather.

Road salt is illegal in Oregon. We use studded tires or tire chains.